There is a need to quickly and accurately be able to measure colours on a variety of different surfaces and convert the colour measurement into a number of standard colour spaces.
There are a number of prior art devices which have attempted to measure colour each with shortcomings normally related to accuracy reproducibility, portability, cost of manufacture and inability to convert readings into a number of standard colour spaces used by different industries.
Studies have shown that there exist a cultural preference in the colour of the food people consume, therefor in the egg industry the colour of the yolk is closely controlled and a vital step in the control process is accurately measuring the yolk colour. There is a need for a quick, accurate and cost effective way of measuring the colour of the egg yolk.
A number of prior art devices exist in the industry that can be utilized to measure the colour of the yolk. Two such methods are the DSM Egg yolk colour fan and the egg quality measurement device. Though both methods can provide the measurements but they are not without their limitations and shortcomings. The egg yolk colour fan is fast and inexpensive, given it is a qualitative method of comparing coloured swatches to the yolk via the naked eye, it's accuracy and precision is a function of the end user. The second method mentioned is the egg quality measuring device, which utilizes a colour sensor and a light source. The light illuminates the yolk at prescribed angle and the reflected light is diffused into the sensor. This method is more accurate and precise since it is quantitative, but the size, complexity and cost of the apparatus make it less appealing to the end users.